Petrarch at the Banquet 83 



Lionel and his retinue had arrived at Milan. At Pavia he 

 would have had every reason for staying until (say) June 4, 

 when he would almost necessarily have arrived at Milan, against 

 the wedding of the following day. Among these reasons would 

 have been his dislike of summer heat/^ his love of quiet/^ his 

 general predilection for Pavia/^ the condition of his leg/^ his 

 desire to be with his daughter's family as much as possible, his 

 occupation with Galeazzo's affairs (Galeazzo's seat was primarily 

 Pavia, as Bernabo's was Milan), and very possibly also the illness 

 of the little Francesco, whom we need not assume to have died 

 on the very day he fell sick. We may suppose him to have 

 planned to return on June 6 from Milan to Pavia, for most of 

 the reasons which have been detailed, and not least that he might 

 be with his daughter and her husband in their sorrow, and assist 

 in the preparations for the funeral. This, however, was not to 

 be (see p. 85). In fact, we know that it was nearly a month 

 before he could leave Milan. Writing from Pavia to Giovanni 

 da Mandello on July 6, he tells his correspondent that he had 

 left Milan on July 4, though he had not yet recovered, because 

 he wished to escape from the noise and confusion, but that the 

 horseback ride to Pavia had again aggravated his sore. He is 



Sol bis, Luna quater, flexum peragraverat orbem, 



Obvia mors, fallor, obvia vita fuit. 

 Me Venetum terris dedit urbs, rapuitque Papia; 

 Nee queror, hinc [hie] caelo restituendus eram. 

 This may be translated : 



*A newly arrived guest of the world, I was but just beginning my 

 journey, and had scarcely touched with my tender feet the rough 

 threshold of the life that hastens away. My father was Francis, and 

 Frances my mother; from them did I receive my name at the bap- 

 tismal font. I was a beautiful child, the lovely solace of my parents, 

 but now their grief. On this account alone is my lot less joyous, since 

 for the rest I am happy, having attained thus early and easily the joys 

 of the true life, the life eternal. Twice had the sun measured the 

 orbit of the world, and four times the moon, when death — nay, rather 

 life — stood before me. Venice gave me to the earth, and now Pavia 

 has snatched me away ; but I mourn not, since it was fitting that from 

 here I should be restored to heaven.* 

 " See p. 79. 

 " See p. 79. 

 "See pp. 79-80. 

 " See pp. 78-9. 



